CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Danielle

I frowned. “Are we going to talk about last night?”

“If you need to.”

“Um, yeah, I need to, Austin. You held me against my will and left me to get drunk in a dark, isolated office.”

“I did.”

“You’re not even going to deny it?” I don’t know why I was surprised, but I was.

“Nope,” he said, and opened the bottle of pain relief.

“I hate you so much right now.” I stomped my foot and turned on my heel. “I’m leaving.”

I stormed back the way I came, let myself into the bedroom, and made a valiant effort to find my clothes.

“They’re not in here, babe.”

I turned and scowled at Austin leaning against the doorjamb. “Where are they?”

“Laundry.” He pushed away from the door and smiled. “Take these.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What’s your game, mister?”

“No game, baby. Just ibuprofen for your head.”

“No, not that,” I said, taking the pills from him and swallowing them without water. Gross. “Why are my clothes in the laundry? I’m going to have to wear them home, right?”

He shook his head and opened his walk-in closet.

I noticed my suitcase leaning up against the inside wall and made my way to it. “Why is this here?”

“You’re staying with me for a few days.”

“What? Why?”

Austin sat on the edge of the mattress. “There’s been a development that I’m uncomfortable with, and since I know you’ll be safe here, you’re here.”

“What kind of development?” I faced him again. “And if you say ‘club business,’ Austin, I swear to God, I will kill you.”

He gave me a slight smile. “I found Steven.”

“I’m sorry?”

“And your money.”

“What?” I squeaked.

“I also discovered there’s a ten-million-dollar kidnap and ransom insurance policy on you.”

“What?”

“Steven offered you up as an alternative to returning the money he stole from you.”

“What?” I said again, only this time it was barely a whisper.

“Come here, baby.”

I went to him immediately.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me between his legs. “I need to talk to your father and brother. I have no idea if there’s even a threat yet, but I’m not happy that Steven knew about the insurance and offered it up to me at all, let alone so quickly. For the time being, I want you here where I can protect you.”

“Steven was at the club?”

Austin nodded.

I looped my arms around his neck. “That’s why you locked me up.”

“Partly,” he said. “There are other things going on that I can’t tell you about, but if it involves you, baby, I won’t keep that from you. I was being pulled in a few different directions last night and I knew if you were in my office, you were safe.”

“Austin.” I sighed and dropped my forehead to his. “I can’t say I liked the way you did it, but I will give you a little grace since you were trying to protect me.” He smiled, and I shook my head. “But… and this is a big but, so hear me here, honey. If you ever do anything like that again without talking to me first, I will cut you.”

He chuckled. “I hear you, baby.”

“Come to dinner tomorrow… ah, tonight. You can talk to my brother and dad then.”

“They won’t mind?”

I shook my head. “I’ll call my mom and let her know, but no, they won’t mind.”

“Gotta meet with Crow and Hatch tomorrow, but it shouldn’t conflict.”

I nodded and smiled.

He slid his hands under my T-shirt and up my back, kissing my collarbone. “Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?”

“Not nearly as gorgeous as you,” I said, my fingers finding their way into his hair.

He tugged my shirt off and pulled me close again, drawing a nipple into his mouth. I dropped my head back, the feeling heady as he bit down gently. He slid my panties down my hips and I stepped out of them, feeling my way as my nipple was still in his mouth.

His finger slid through the wetness between my legs and then slipped inside of me. I gasped and my hips bucked as he slid another inside me. He wrapped an arm around my waist and guided me onto the bed, his fingers still doing unbelievably incredible things to my body.

“You on the pill?”

I shook my head, gasping as his thumb found my clit. I could feel an orgasm building, but before it washed over me, he removed his hand.

“Austin,” I hissed.

He chuckled and I heard a little whoosh of something being torn. “Condom, baby.”

He rose up above me, settling his hips between mine and guiding himself inside of me. I wrapped my legs around him and arched up.

“You’re tight, baby. Am I hurting you?”

“God, no,” I breathed. “More.”

He grinned, covering my mouth with his and thrusting deep inside of me.

“Yes,” I whispered. “More, honey.”

He drew my nipple back into his mouth again as he surged deeper and deeper, faster and faster. I had no warning of my climax as the orgasm washed over me and I cried out his name. Never in my life had I come so fast, so hard, and I gripped his biceps as I caught my breath.

Austin let out a grunt and I felt his cock pulsate inside of me before he rolled us onto our sides, staying connected to me as he wrapped his arms around my waist. “Fuck me,” he whispered, and kissed me deeply.

“I think I just did.” I grinned and stroked his cheek. “Amazing.”

He chuckled. “You have very low expectations, then, baby. This was nothing.”

“I think that was my very first orgasm,” I whispered.

“What?” He frowned. “Ever?”

I nodded. “I thought I’d had orgasms in the past, but it was never like that. I had no idea what good sex was, I think. I mean, I did, because my sister gave me a broad stroke idea of what good sex could be, but I’ve never personally experienced it. Not like that.”

“Babe,” he said, and smiled. “That’s a fuckin’ crime. You’re beautiful all the time, but when you come, God, it’s incredible.”

I bit my lip. “Can we do it again?”

Austin laughed. “Hell, yeah, we can do it again. I’ll take care of the condom. Don’t move.”

I grimaced when he slid out of me and headed to the bathroom. My body was wired, ready for him to do whatever he wanted to me. So much for my plan to make him wait a while. But ten days was a while, right?

The dip of the bed pulled me from my thoughts, and I smiled up at the man who’d totally ruined me for anyone else.

“I can hear you thinking,” he said.

“Just thinking how you’ve totally ruined me for any other man.”

He leaned down and kissed me gently. “There’ll never be another man.”

“You’re so sure, huh?”

Austin nodded. “I love you, Dani.”

I gasped and sat up, my forehead almost colliding with his. “What?”

He grinned. “You heard me.”

“But you can’t.”

“Why can’t I?”

“It’s too soon.”

“Is it?”

I let out a frustrated squeak. “Quit volleying with me.”

Austin laughed, pulling me down on top of him. “I’ve had the kind of life that when I find something good, I see it for what it is. I love you. End of story.”

I dropped my cheek to his chest. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t have to say anything, babe.”

“You’re not mad?” I was surprised he was so calm.

“About what?”

“Me not saying it back,” I said, lifting my head.

He chuckled. “Why the hell would I be mad?”

I sighed. “I have just always wondered what it would be like to be so secure in one’s self that they can say whatever they want and not feel vulnerable and stupid.”

“You think I’m vulnerable and stupid?” he teased.

“No,” I said quickly, and groaned.

Austin rolled me onto my back and slid his hand to my neck, thumbing my pulse. It was his go-to when I was feeling off-kilter, and it always made me feel safe. “Talk to me,” he prodded. “You can tell me anything, Dani.”

“It was when you warmed my hands,” I admitted.

“What was?”

“When I fell in love with you.” I squeezed my eyes shut expecting him to tell me I was an idiot.

“Eyes, baby.”

I opened them and shivered. He was looking at me as though I’d just given him the most precious gift. “It was when you talked in your sleep,” he said.

“Huh?”

“The other night. When you talked in your sleep.”

“Oh, right.” I groaned. “What did I say?”